discussion essay
HIST 152 Dr. Shimko
Weekly Reading Guide #5: The Second World War {1941-1945}
The unprecedented attention to freedom as the defining characteristic of American life had implications that went far beyond wartime mobilization. World War II reshaped
Americans’ understanding of themselves as a people…What set the United States apart from its wartime foes, the government insisted, was not only dedication to the ideals of the
Four Freedoms but also the principle that Americans of all races, religions, and natural origins could enjoy those freedoms equally.”—Foner, 884
Description: This week’s chapter focuses on the Second World War. President F. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms—Freedom of speech, of
worship, from want, and from fear (painted by Norman Rockwell)—represented America’s unity at home and greater role on the
international stage. They represented the idea that “American security was global in scope and could only be protected by the
worldwide triumph of core American values” (862). But despite the language of unity, freedom, and equality, there was once again (as
in WWI) a disconnect between the language of democracy and equality espoused by FDR
and the reality, for many, of living in America. Divisions among Americans still remained
regarding the New Deal and unrestricted economy, the racial order, and women in the
workforce. Once again, we see the importance of language as representative of one’s ideals
as the U.S. entered (albeit late) the deadliest war in history and emerged as one of the world’s
two great powers.
America’s role in the war began with a desire for isolationism. Americans and the president
were not eager to enter another world war, and they saw German fascism as a means to
balance USSR communism. Germans dominated nearly all of Europe and North Africa as
fascist nations and their leaders worked together (Hitler, Mussolini, Franco). The U.S.
entered the war slowly by providing supplies through the lend-lease program, but once Pearl
Harbor was attacked they declared war. Most of America’s role in the Second World War
was fought in the Pacific against Japan, but they were an important part of D-Day and freeing
France from Nazi hands. V-E day secured the Allied victory in Europe, but the most
controversial U.S. act was the dropping of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (by then
Truman was President). Nevertheless, this was a show of U.S. power. The Allied victors
(U.S., Britain, and USSR) laid out plans for the postwar world: establishing a military
administration for Germany, placing top Nazi leaders on trial for war crimes for the atrocities
of the Holocaust, recognizing the Soviet sphere of influence in the East, and creating the
United Nations. Underneath these agreements there was tension between three leaders with
very different goals. This portended a future of problems as two world powers emerged (the other allies needed to recover from the
destruction of their countries): the U.S. and USSR.
At home, war brought about a unity never before seen. Servicemen and women worked together as manufacturing and industry
increased. The government worked closely with business to increase production and manufacturing, which in turn benefited laborers
and unions. The language and talk of freedom to unify the U.S. was incredibly important, and suggested freedom and democracy not
HIST 152 Dr. Shimko
just in the world, but in individual and private lives, including private enterprise. Just like the First World War, equality and freedom
became the “definition of American life” (884). This was particularly so as Americans fought fascism and their emphasis on
ethnic/racial inequality. As a result, FDR embraced and encouraged a pluralist society and “patriotic assimilation.” New immigrants,
Mexicans, and Indians benefited after the war from these ideals. Nevertheless, there were still limits, particularly for Japanese-
Americans. And despite the fact that African-Americans fought in the war for America, they were still not given the same job
opportunities or treatment through the GI Bill; segregation and racial violence remained rampant. This led to the “birth” of the Civil
Rights Movement and finally put racial justice on the liberal agenda.
Helpful Maps: The U.S. fought a two-hemisphere war—see pages 870 and 872 for the battles in the Pacific and in Europe.
Directions: As you read, use the following lists to focus on what is most important. It is easier to know what to look for when there is
so much reading to cover. Remember, you do not have to read every word! Try to focus on the core of what was happening and why it
was significant at the time.
HIST 152 Dr. Shimko
People
Adolf Hitler
Franklin Roosevelt
Benito Mussolini
General Francisco Franco
Axis Powers
The Allies
Winston Churchill
Joseph Stalin
Rosie the Riveter
Navajo “code-talkers”
A. Philip Randolph
Harry S. Truman
Events and Acts of Gov.
Good Neighbor Policy
Neutrality Acts
The Nazi-Soviet pact/nonaggression pact
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Battle of Midway Island
D-Day
The Holocaust
Zoot Suit Riots
Japanese-American internment
Korematsu v. United States
Second Great Migration
Fair Employment Practices Commission
(FEPC)
V-E Day
Atomic Bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Potsdam Conference
Yalta Conference
Bretton Woods Conference
United Nations
Definitions
Four Freedoms
Isolationism
“Patriotic Assimilation”/Patriotism
Bracero programs
Double-V
An American Dilemma
Manhattan Project
Atlantic Charter